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“This is stupid,” is the first sentence that comes out of Hoseok’s mouth the moment he gets out of his car. He has a wide smile adorning his face, though, and he doesn’t even wait for Hyungwon to walk towards the edge of the beach.
“This is brilliant,” Hyungwon corrects his boyfriend, tailing Hoseok from behind with both hands tucked in the pockets of his long coat.
Hoseok turns around and continues his walk backward. His face is bright while he throws a look at Hyungwon. “No one goes to the beach in winter, babe.”
“And that is exactly why this is brilliant.” Hyungwon catches up to Hoseok and reaches to take Hoseok’s hand in his. He lifts their interlacing fingers up, trying to make a point by showing it to Hoseok. “No one is around. We can do whatever we want.”
Hoseok laughs. There is a tinge of red high on his cheeks and Hyungwon finds it lovely. Hoseok whips his head around exaggeratedly and stretches his arm wide. “But there’s nothing we can do here anyway.”
Hyungwon bends down and picks up something from the sand. “We can collect seashells,” he says, grinning ear to ear, knowing how silly it is.
“Please tell me we didn’t drive three hours just for seashells.” Hoseok yanks the seashell from Hyungwon and throws it away. However, there’s no venom in his words nor in his actions. He still smiles happily, trying to wrap his head around the unexplainable giddy feeling of holding hands with Hyungwon outside.
“We can make sandcastles,” Hyungwon tries again. He takes off his shoes midway and leaves it there, walking down the sand until the water hits his toes.
Hoseok does the same and curls up to himself because it’s cold and the water is freezing. He steps back, effectively stopping Hyungwon from walking further because their hands are still linked. “No. Please don’t make me touch the water. It’s fucking cold, Hyungwon.”
“It’s okay, the water is okay,” Hyungwon laughs but he stops anyway. Of course, he is lying. His toes are turning blue and he is starting to regret his own decision—if Hoseok is freezing, then Hyungwon is turning into an ice statue—but he’s not going to let Hoseok know about that.
They just stand there for a while, looking at the soft waves and feeling the cold wind piercing their bones. Every muscle in their bodies is relaxing and it feels nice. Their joined hands are the only source of warmth that they have, but it is enough. It is always enough.
It becomes too long too fast, though. Hoseok starts to fidget and looks around uneasily. With how popular they are now, even the simplest thing as them getting caught holding hands on the beach would do harm to the entire group. Being hyper aware of how they look, Hoseok pulls his hand from Hyungwon and pockets it instead.
“Relax,” Hyungwon reached for Hoseok’s wrist and squeezes it, assuring the older, “I didn’t take us three hours outside the city for nothing. There’s no one here, Hoseok.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just— we can never be so sure,” Hoseok looks down and throws a bitter apologetic smile to Hyungwon, feeling guilty for ruining the moment.
Hyungwon gives Hoseok a knowing look and smiles gently. Running his thumb over Hoseok’s skin, Hyungwon turns towards the sea and takes a deep breath. In the next heartbeat, he opens his mouth wide and shouts loudly to the setting sun, “HEEEEEEEEYYY! IS ANYBODY HEEEEERRRREE???”
Hoseok’s eyes go wide and he elbows Hyungwon on the ribs. “What are you— Hyungwon, are you crazy?!”
Hyungwon laughs while clutching on his ribs. “See? No one’s answering. There’s absolutely no one here. I promise.”
Hoseok wants to retort but Hyungwon is right, no one is answering. In fact, all they could hear is the rumbling of the sea and the whirling of the wind. There is no squawk of the seagulls, even. The beach is quiet, suspiciously so, but Hoseok isn’t going to complain about that. No, of course not.
“So, no one’s really here?” Hoseok asks, just to calm himself down a bit more.
“Just you and me,” Hyungwon assures. Exhaling a long breath, Hyungwon takes Hoseok’s hand and grabs it tight. “So, if we want to hold hands, we can hold hands.”
It might sound silly, remembering that they have been together for years now, but Hoseok feels butterflies inside his stomach the moment their hands are linked again.
By the hand he is holding, Hyungwon pulls Hoseok close and wraps his arms around the older. “If we want to hug, we can do that too.”
Hoseok chuckles and buries his face on the crook of Hyungwon’s neck, trying to overcome the weird mixture of embarrassment and happiness. He circles his arms around Hyungwon’s waist and rests his cheek on Hyungwon’s shoulder. If he was hesitating before, now he has decided to just go with whatever Hyungwon has in mind.
Hyungwon then lifts Hoseok’s face by his chin. Looking straight to Hoseok’s eyes, Hyungwon whispers, “And if we want to kiss—”
“Hyungwon, wait—” Hoseok swears his heart is about to combust. Holding hands and hugging are something, but kissing? Just the thought of it already makes Hoseok’s heart beat two times faster and he doesn’t anymore if he dreads it or he wants it.
Hyungwon runs his thumb from Hoseok’s chin to Hoseok’s cheek, caressing the slightly shorter lovingly. His gaze is intense and unwavering. His stance is firm. “And if we want to kiss...?”
It is more of a question than a statement and Hoseok knows he has to answer it. His conscience is telling him no but who is he in front of Chae Hyungwon? He is just a lovesick man with hearts in his eyes.
“And if we want to kiss”—Hoseok breaths out and licks his lips—“we can do that too.”
[
“You know, if we scream, no one will hear us.”
“Hyungwon—”
“Come on, try it.”
“I don’t think—”
“Come on.”
“Okay. CHAE HYUNGWON IS A GAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!”
“What the actual— SHIN HOSEOK IS A GAY TOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
“WHO WOULDN’T BE A GAY FOR CHAE HYUNGWOOOOON??!”
“Oh my God, such a sap.”
“You love me, though.”
“You’re right. I LOVE SHIN HOSEEEEOOOOOKKKK!”
“I LOVE YOU TOO, CHAE HYUNGWOOOOOON!!!”
“God.”
“We’re stupid.”
“I know, right?”
]